U.S. patent number 7,777,117 [Application Number 12/426,140] was granted by the patent office on 2010-08-17 for system and method of instructing musical notation for a stringed instrument.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hal Christopher Salter. Invention is credited to Hal C. Salter.
United States Patent |
7,777,117 |
Salter |
August 17, 2010 |
System and method of instructing musical notation for a stringed
instrument
Abstract
A method of instructing a user to read musical notation through
interaction with a graphical user interface and an input instrument
representative of a stringed instrument may include the steps of
generating the graphical user interface having a first mode. The
first mode may include a virtual fingerboard positioned
substantially along a vertical extreme of the interface, the
virtual fingerboard may include a first linear array representing a
first string having a first frequency range. The virtual
fingerboard may also include a second linear array representing a
second string having a second frequency range, wherein the second
frequency range overlaps the first frequency range associated with
a string. Furthermore, the virtual fingerboard may additionally
include a plurality of note positions, each note position having a
corresponding fingerboard position on the input instrument.
Inventors: |
Salter; Hal C. (Seffner,
FL) |
Assignee: |
Salter; Hal Christopher
(Boulder, CO)
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Family
ID: |
41087611 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/426,140 |
Filed: |
April 17, 2009 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20090235808 A1 |
Sep 24, 2009 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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11737734 |
Apr 19, 2007 |
7521619 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
84/477R; 84/479R;
84/470R; 84/485R; 84/483.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09B
15/08 (20130101); G10G 1/02 (20130101); G09B
15/06 (20130101); G09B 15/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G09B
15/00 (20060101); G10H 1/00 (20060101); G09B
15/02 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Fletcher; Marlon T
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Webb IP Law Group Webb; Jason P.
Cheng; Danny Y. H.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation in Part application of, under
35U.S.C. .sctn.121, and claims priority to, under 35U.S.C.
.sctn.121, U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 11/737,734,
entitled System and Method of Instructing Musical Literacy and
Performance of a Stringed Instrument, by Salter, filed on Apr. 19,
2007 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,521,619, which application is incorporated
by reference herein in its entirety.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of instructing a user to read musical notation through
interaction with a graphical user interface and an input instrument
representative of a stringed instrument, comprising the steps of:
a) generating the graphical user interface, having a first mode,
including a virtual fingerboard positioned substantially along a
vertical extreme of the interface, the virtual fingerboard
including: a first linear array representing a first string having
a first frequency range; a second linear array representing a
second string having a second frequency range, wherein the second
frequency range overlaps the first frequency range associated with
a string; and a plurality of note positions, each note position
having a corresponding fingerboard position on the input
instrument; wherein the first linear array, the second linear
array, and the plurality of note positions form a grid; b)
displaying the first linear array and the second linear array in a
second mode such that portions of the first linear array and the
second linear array having overlapping frequency ranges are
substantially vertically aligned; c) incorporating a music file
into the graphical user interface, wherein the music file contains
data corresponding to an arrangement of a plurality of musical
notes in sequence, having a rhythmic pattern, and represented by at
least one game object; d) directing the game object in
substantially and substantially straight trajectory, toward a note
position on the virtual fingerboard corresponding to the musical
notes; and e) adjusting a toggle module configured to selectably
toggle the second linear array between able and disabled modes.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the toggle module, comprising: a)
an auto module, configured to selectably toggle the second linear
array to an auto mode; b) a manual module, configured to selectably
toggle the second linear array to a manual mode; and c) a tempo
module, configured to adjust the tempo of the second linear
array.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the toggle module includes a
stringed select module configured to select a string of the second
linear array to be displayed about the grid.
4. A method of instructing a user to read musical notation through
interaction with a graphical user interface and an input instrument
representative of a stringed instrument, comprising the steps of:
a) generating the graphical user interface, having a first mode,
including a virtual fingerboard positioned substantially along a
vertical extreme of the interface, the virtual fingerboard
including: a first linear array representing a first string having
a first frequency range; a second linear array representing a
second string having a second frequency range, wherein the second
frequency range overlaps the first frequency range associated with
a string; and a plurality of note positions, each note position
having a corresponding fingerboard position on the input
instrument; wherein the first linear array, the second linear
array, and the plurality of note positions form a grid; b)
displaying the first linear array and the second linear array in a
second mode such that portions of the first linear array and the
second linear array having overlapping frequency ranges are
substantially vertically aligned; c) incorporating a music file
into the graphical user interface, wherein the music file contains
data corresponding to an arrangement of a plurality of musical
notes in sequence, having a rhythmic pattern, and represented by at
least one game object; d) directing the game object in
substantially and substantially straight trajectory, toward a note
position on the virtual fingerboard corresponding to the musical
notes; e) wherein the game objects include identifying marks
associated with note positions; f) wherein the identifying marks
include grid notation associated with selecting a note position on
a particular linear array; g) wherein the game objects are
generated by an game object generation module according to a object
generation process, comprising the steps of: g1) reading music
data; g2) generating an initial permutation list of degenerate note
position possibilities for the note information read from the music
data; g3) generating an initial combination list of note position
combinations for related notes from the music data; g4) testing
elements of initial combination list for suitability; and g5)
selecting a combination from the combination list.
5. The method of instructing a user to read musical notation of
claim 4, wherein the step of testing elements of the initial
combination list for suitability includes calculating a maximum
fret distance between notes of a chord and comparing that maximum
fret distance against a pass/fail threshold.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of testing elements of
the initial combination list for suitability further includes
calculating a distance characteristic of a plurality of
combinations from the initial list.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of calculating a maximum
fret distance includes: determining a fret distance between a pair
of note positions in a chord combination, wherein a fret distance
is the number of frets plus one between the note positions;
determining a string distance between the pair of note positions,
wherein the string distance is the number of strings plus one
between the note positions; multiplying the fret distance by a
first constant; multiplying the string distance by a second
constant; and calculating the square root of the sum of the squares
of the multiplied distances.
8. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of testing is weighted
according to a parameter configured to influence combination
selection.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the parameter is selected from
the group of parameters consisting of preferred strings, distance
characteristics from previous note groups, distance characteristic
of subsequent note groups, and preferred stringed combinations.
10. A method of instructing a user to read musical notation through
interaction with a graphical user interface and an input instrument
representative of a stringed instrument, comprising the steps of:
a) generating the graphical user interface, having a first mode,
including a virtual fingerboard positioned substantially along a
vertical extreme of the interface, the virtual fingerboard
including: a first linear array representing a first string having
a first frequency range; a second linear array representing a
second string having a second frequency range, wherein the second
frequency range overlaps the first frequency range associated with
a string; and a plurality of note positions, each note position
having a corresponding fingerboard position on the input
instrument; wherein the first linear array, the second linear
array, and the plurality of note positions form a grid; b)
displaying the first linear array and the second linear array in a
second mode such that portions of the first linear array and the
second linear array having overlapping frequency ranges are
substantially vertically aligned; c) incorporating a music file
into the graphical user interface, wherein the music file contains
data corresponding to an arrangement of a plurality of musical
notes in sequence, having a rhythmic pattern, and represented by at
least one game object; d) directing the game object in
substantially and substantially straight trajectory, toward a note
position on the virtual fingerboard corresponding to the musical
notes; and e) wherein game objects include a graphical
representation associated with note positions.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation
include a fingerboard grid array.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fingerboard grid array
includes a string identifier and a fret identifier.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation
includes a note name.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods of instructing
and displaying musical notation, specifically to systems and
methods of instructing and displaying musical notation for stringed
instruments.
2.Description of the Related Art
Students learning a musical instrument face many challenges.
Indeed, a beginning student may spend considerable time and effort
in simply becoming familiar with even the basics of playing a
musical instrument. Some of these challenges facing beginning
students include: learning notes and pitches, hand and fingering
positions, and reading and understanding the music and music
notation associated with the particular instrument. In many cases,
the challenges a beginning student faces may considerably decrease
a student's enjoyment and desire to put in the necessary time and
effort to become proficient. Unfortunately, as a result, many
students abandon the musical instrument for other pursuits.
Beginning students of stringed musical instruments, such as the
violin, guitar, cello, etc., face the additional challenge of
coordinating hand positions and pitches with the printed music.
Indeed, even if a student already knows how to read music, they
still must learn which finger to use on which string, and in which
hand position along the fingerboard they should place their fingers
in order to produce the desired notes. Accordingly, many tools have
been developed to further automate or otherwise facilitate musical
instrument instruction.
In particular, with the advent of the computer, musical notation
and other instruction software has been developed with the purpose
of simplifying and instructing a person to play and enjoy stringed
musical instruments. Electronics and computer-related technologies
such as MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) have been
increasingly applied to musical instruments over the years; thus,
greatly enhancing the ability for learning, creating, playing, and
understanding stringed instrument musical compositions.
While such technology has greatly enhanced the ability to learn,
play, and understand stringed music compositions, many of the
current systems and methods utilizing these technologies are
complex, expensive, and may require a user to have substantial
musical experience and training. Additionally, while some systems
and methods are adept and proficient in one area of music
instruction and display, those same systems and methods may be
inadequate in other areas. For example, one system may excel in
instruction of playing and learning musical notation, while being
inadequate and inept in areas of creating and promoting a fun and
inviting atmosphere, and vice versa. Therefore, people have
continually worked to produce different and/or better systems and
methods of enhancing musical composition. Examples include, but are
not limited to, the references described below, which references
are incorporated by reference herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,510, issued to Salter, discloses a musical
keyboard is connected to a computer. The computer implements a
graphical user interface for teaching users to play the musical
instrument. A computer readable music file, such as a MIDI file, is
used to drive the creation of game objects that travel from a point
of origination along a path toward a key of a virtual keyboard. In
one form, when a user presses a key of the musical keyboard within
a certain time window of arrival of the game object at the
corresponding key of the virtual keyboard, the user is awarded with
an audio presentation, a visual presentation and/or with game
points.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,119, issued to Mladek, discloses a stringless
fret instrument to be played as on a twitch instrument consists of
the neck on which there are frets located transversely to a
lengthwise axis of the neck, between which there are situated, in
rows parallel with the axis of the neck, digital tone push-buttons,
and of the body equipped with the management of the synthesizer
accompaniment, a loudspeaker and a direct current charger. Above
each row of digital tone push-buttons, there is a flexible rope
situated in a lengthwise rabbet created in the neck parallel with
the lengthwise axis of the neck movable in the direction to digital
tone push-buttons, fixed at least on the neck behind the side
digital tone push-button. The management of the synthesizer
accompaniment consists of three mutually parallel rows of keys each
of which consisting of four tone keys.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,026,538, issued to Komano et al., discloses a tone
generation apparatus is removably attachable to a plug-in board for
generating a tone on the basis of performance information and
extending the tone generating function of the tone generation
apparatus. Tone color name information and tone color parameter
name information of tone color data possessed by the attached
plug-in board is stored in a nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile
memory can also store tone color data of a custom voice obtained by
editing original tone color data of the plug-in board.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,767, issued to Fiks et al., discloses a musical
learning system including an instrument and method is disclosed.
The instrument is comprised of a rectangularly shaped box designed
for convenient handling by an operator in a manner analogous to
other musical instruments such as a piano, a guitar, or a horn.
Thirteen movable buttons on the top surface of the box sound eight
natural notes and five notes of sharps and flats when pressed by
the operator, the sounds being produced by either a built-in,
acoustic or electronic sound system. Removable attachments having
instructive musical notations are temporarily secured above and
below the buttons can be used in a predetermined sequence. In
addition, in the electronic version, an "octave-up" switch enables
an operator to sound a note one or more octaves higher for each of
the buttons; and a "mute" bar allows the operator to silence a note
being produced, if desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,211, issued to Umezawa et al, discloses a
display device is supplied with basic screen display data for
displaying a basic screen including a plurality of chord names to
be indicated on the basic screen, and displays the basic screen on
the basis of the basic screen display data. For example, the basic
screen may be one listing names of chords to be used in a selected
music piece in accordance with progression of the selected music
piece. There is provided a memory storing, for each chord,
playing-manner screen display data for displaying a playing manner
screen indicative of a model playing manner corresponding to the
chord. On the basis of an instruction by a user, a desired chord is
selected from among the plurality of chord names indicated on the
basic screen displayed on the display device, and the
playing-manner screen display data corresponding to the selected
chord name are read out from the memory. The display device
displays, along with the basic screen, the playing manner screen
indicative of the model playing manner corresponding to the
selected chord name on the basis of the playing-manner screen
display data read out from the memory. The display device may
simultaneously display playing manner screens for a plurality of
different chords. Also, the display device may display the playing
manner screen in a highlighted fashion.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0191399, by Miyaki,
discloses a fingering guidance image for guiding a fingering upon
performing a chord of a stringed instrument to a user is displayed
on a display device. This fingering guidance image includes a
musical instrument image indicating a guitar, a depressed pointer
arranged at the position in the musical instrument image that is
depressed upon performing a chord and a fingering image indicating
fingers in the form of performing a chord, among which the
fingering image is made to be a transmitting image.
The inventions heretofore known suffer from a number of
disadvantages which include: difficulty of use, especially for
younger users; a high learning curve; failure to provide an
intuitive interface; failure to enhance and create learning
enjoyment; failure to provide sufficient guidance and/or skill
enhancing effects; and/or so forth.
What is needed is a system and method of instructing and displaying
musical notation for a stringed instrument that solves one or more
of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that
may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming
familiar with this specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed in response to the present
state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems
and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by
currently available system and method of instructing musical
literacy and performance of a stringed instrument. Accordingly, the
present invention has been developed to provide an efficient and
effective method of instructing a user to read musical notation
through interaction with a graphical user interface and an input
instrument representative of a stringed instrument.
A method of instructing a user to read musical notation through
interaction with a graphical user interface and an input instrument
representative of a stringed instrument may include the steps of
generating the graphical user interface having a first mode. The
first mode may include a virtual fingerboard positioned
substantially along a vertical extreme of the interface. The
virtual fingerboard may include a first linear array representing a
first string having a first frequency range. The virtual
fingerboard may also include a second linear array representing a
second string having a second frequency range, wherein the second
frequency range overlaps the first frequency range associated with
a string. Furthermore, the virtual fingerboard may additionally
include a plurality of note positions, each note position having a
corresponding fingerboard position on the input instrument.
The first linear array, the second linear array, and the plurality
of note positions may form a grid, wherein the grid may display the
first linear array and the second linear array in a second mode
such that portions of the first linear array and the second linear
array having overlapping frequency ranges are substantially
vertically aligned. The method may also incorporate a music file
into the graphical user interface, wherein the music file may
contain data corresponding to an arrangement of a plurality of
musical notes in sequence, having a rhythmic pattern, and
represented by at least one game object; directing the game object
in substantially vertical and substantially straight trajectory
toward a note position on the virtual fingerboard corresponding to
the musical notes. The method further includes adjusting a toggle
module configured to selectively toggle the second linear array
between able and disabled modes. The toggle module may comprise an
auto module, configured to selectively toggle the second linear
array to an auto mode; a manual module, configured to selectably
toggle the second linear array to a manual mode; and a tempo
module, configured to adjust the tempo of the second linear array.
The toggle module may also include a string select module
configured to select a string of the second linear array to be
displayed about the grid.
Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or
similar language does not imply that all of the features and
advantages that may be realized with the present invention should
be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather,
language referring to the features and advantages is understood to
mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic
described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least
one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the
features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this
specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same
embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable
manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art
will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or
more of the specific features or advantages of a particular
embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages
may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in
all embodiments of the invention.
These features and advantages of the present invention will become
more fully apparent from the following description and appended
claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set
forth hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily
understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly
described above will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawing(s). It is
noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The
drawings are mere schematics representations, not intended to
portray specific parameters of the invention. Understanding that
these drawing(s) depict only typical embodiments of the invention
and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting of its
scope, the invention will be described and explained with
additional specificity and detail through the use of the
accompanying drawing(s), in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a method of instructing a user to
read musical notation through interaction with a graphical user
interface and an input instrument representative of a stringed
instrument, according to one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a method of instructing a user to
read musical notation through interaction with a graphical user
interface and an input instrument representative of a stringed
instrument, according to one embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 3 is flow diagram of a method of instructing a user to read
musical notation through interaction with a graphical user
interface and an input instrument representative of a stringed
instrument, according to one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of
the invention, reference will now be made to the exemplary
embodiments illustrated in the drawing(s), and specific language
will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be
understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is
thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the
inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional
applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated
herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and
having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within
the scope of the invention.
Reference throughout this specification to an "embodiment," an
"example" or similar language means that a particular feature,
structure, characteristic, or combinations thereof described in
connection with the embodiment is included in at least one
embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the
phrases an "embodiment," an "example," and similar language
throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all
refer to the same embodiment, to different embodiments, or to one
or more of the figures. Additionally, reference to the wording
"embodiment," "example" or the like, for two or more features,
elements, etc. does not mean that the features are necessarily
related, dissimilar, the same, etc.
Each statement of an embodiment or example is to be considered
independent of any other statement of an embodiment despite any use
of similar or identical language characterizing each embodiment.
Therefore, where one embodiment is identified as "another
embodiment," the identified embodiment is independent of any other
embodiments characterized by the language "another embodiment." The
features, functions, and the like, described herein are considered
to be able to be combined in whole, or in part, one with another,
as the claims and/or art may direct, either directly or indirectly,
implicitly or explicitly.
As used herein, "comprising," "including," "containing," "is,"
"are," "characterized by," and grammatical equivalents thereof are
inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional
unrecited elements or method steps. "Comprising" is to be
interpreted as including the more restrictive terms "consisting of"
and "consisting essentially of."
MIDI defines an interface for exchanging information between
electronic musical instruments, computers, sequencers, lighting
controllers, mixers, and tape recorders as discussed in MIDI
Manufacturers Association publication entitled, MIDI 1.0 Detailed
Specification (1990). MIDI is extensively used both in the
recording studio and in live performances and has had enormous
impact in the areas of studio recording and automated control,
audio video production and composition. By itself and in
conjunction with other media, MIDI plays an integral role in the
application of computers to multimedia applications.
In comparison to digital audio, MIDI files take up much less space
and the information is symbolic for convenient manipulation and
viewing. For example, a typical three minute MIDI file may require
30 to 60 Kilobytes on a disk, whereas a CD quality stereo audio
file requires about two hundred Kilobytes per second or 36
Megabytes for three minutes. MIDI data may appear as musical
notation, graphical piano-roll, or lists of messages suitable for
editing and reassignment to different instruments.
General MIDI has standardized instrument assignments to greatly
motivate the multimedia title producer. MIDI input and output ports
are used to route time-stamped MIDI packets from one media
component to another. MIDI ports act as mailboxes for the
communication of MIDI packets across address spaces. Many
interesting MIDI applications can be created by connecting media
components that contain MIDI ports. For example, a MIDI player and
a MIDI interface can be used to play a music device, like an
electronic player piano or a guitar, connected to a computer. MIDI
packets are sent from the MIDI player to the MIDI interface. The
MIDI interface converts the MIDI packets to MIDI data that is sent
to the player instrument piano or guitar for playback.
Additionally, certain MIDI files and songs are already broken up
into `tracks` or channels which may be the equivalent of voice, or
orchestral parts, or simply the treble and bass clefs. Players are
able to select which tracks or combination of tracks are to be
included in the game, again this will affect the score as to what
percentage of the total song these tracks include. The selection of
songs, then number or choice of tracks, and then tempo are the
principle ways that the player can determine the level of the game,
and the focus of the repetition. This is further taught in U.S.
Pat. application No. 2004/0137984, which is incorporated by
reference herein.
Many of the functional units described in this specification have
been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize
their implementation independence. For example, a module may be
implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits
or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips,
transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be
implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field
programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable
logic devices or the like.
Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by
various types of processors. An identified module of programmable
or executable code may, for instance, comprise of one or more
physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for
instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function.
Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be
physically located together, but may comprise disparate
instructions stored in different locations which, when joined
logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated
purpose for the module.
Indeed, a module and/or a program of executable code may be a
single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be
distributed over several different code segments, among different
programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational
data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and
may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any
suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be
collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over
different locations including over different storage devices, and
may exist merely, at least partially, as electronic signals on a
system or network.
The various system components and/or modules discussed herein may
include one or more of the following: a host server or other
computing systems including a processor for processing digital
data; a memory coupled to said processor for storing digital data;
an input digitizer coupled to the processor for inputting digital
data; an application program stored in said memory and accessible
by said processor for directing processing of digital data by said
processor; a display device coupled to the processor and memory for
displaying information derived from digital data processed by said
processor; and a plurality of databases. As those skilled in the
art will appreciate, any computers discussed herein may include an
operating system (e.g., Windows NT, 95/98/2000, Vista, OS2, UNIX,
Linux, Solaris, MacOS, etc.) as well as various conventional
support software and drivers typically associated with computers.
The computers may be in a home or business environment with access
to a network. An embodiment of the invention may operate on a game
console, such as those produced by Nintendo, Microsoft, and/or
Sony. In an exemplary embodiment, access is through the Internet
through a commercially-available web-browser software package.
As set forth in the specification, the system and method of the
invention may facilitate the providing information to participants
through multiple media sources and may allow one or more modules to
receive information via similar multiple media sources. The
multiple media sources may include; for example, chat room, radio,
bulletin board, internet web pages, email, billboards, newsletters,
commercials and/or the like. The present invention may be described
herein in terms of functional block components, screen shots,
optional selections and various processing steps. It should be
appreciated that such functional blocks may be realized by any
number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform
the specified functions.
For example, the present invention may employ various integrated
circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements,
logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a
variety of functions under the control of one or more
microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, the software
elements of the present invention may be implemented with any
programming or scripting language such as C, C++, C-Sharp, AJAX,
Java, COBOL, assembler, PERL, Visual Basic, SQL Stored Procedures,
extensible markup language (XML), with the various algorithms being
implemented with any combination of data structures, objects,
processes, routines or other programming elements. Further, it
should be noted that the present invention may employ any number of
conventional techniques for data transmission, signaling, data
processing, network control, and the like.
Additionally, many of the functional units and/or modules herein
are described as being "in communication" with other functional
units and/or modules. Being "in communication" refers to any manner
and/or way in which functional units and/or modules, such as but
not limited to, computers, laptop computers, PDAs, modules, and
other types of hardware and/or software, may be in communication
with each other. Some non-limiting examples include communicating,
sending, and/or receiving data and/or metadata via: a network, a
wireless network, software, instructions, circuitry, phone lines,
internet lines, carrier signals, satellite signals, electric
signals, electrical and magnetic fields, and/or pulses, and/or so
forth.
As used herein, the term "network" may include any electronic
communications means which incorporates both hardware and software
components of such. Communication among the parties in accordance
with the present invention may be accomplished through any suitable
communication channels, such as, a telephone network, an extranet,
an intranet, Internet, point of interaction device (point of sale
device, personal digital assistant, cellular phone, kiosk, etc.),
online communications, off-line communications, wireless
communications, transponder communications, local area network
(LAN), wide area network (WAN), networked or linked devices and/or
the like. Moreover, although the invention may be implemented with
TCP/IP communications protocols, the invention may also be
implemented using IPX, Appletalk, IP-6, NetBIOS, OSI or any number
of existing or future protocols. If the network is in the nature of
a public network, such as the Internet, it may be advantageous to
presume the network to be insecure and open to eavesdroppers.
Specific information related to the protocols, standards, and
application software utilized in connection with the Internet is
generally known to those skilled in the art and, as such, need not
be detailed herein. See, for example, DILIP NAIK, INTERNET
STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS (1998); JAVA 2 COMPLETE, various authors,
(Sybex 1999); DEBORAH RAY AND ERIC RAY, MASTERING HTML 4.0 (1997);
and LOSHIN, TCP/IP CLEARLY EXPLAINED (1997), the contents of which
are hereby incorporated by reference.
Music generally includes a plurality of musical events, usually
notes, arranged according to a predetermined timing and often
including other characteristics such as pitch, attack, duration,
etc. These musical events may be stored as data, wherein each event
may be accompanied by metadata describing one or more
characteristics of the event. Further, musical events may be
embodied in musical notation, such as but not limited to standard
musical notation; wherein events and their characteristics may be
graphically displayed as notes on a page. The notes, the score, key
notation, and other visual indicators provide information about
these events.
Looking to the figures, a method of instructing a user to read
musical notation through interaction with a graphical user
interface and an input instrument representative of a stringed
instrument 10, according to one embodiment of the invention, is
illustrated wherein the method 10 includes generating a graphical
user interface. The graphical user interface includes a first mode
12, wherein a virtual fingerboard 14 is positioned substantially
along a vertical extreme of the interface. The virtual fingerboard
14 includes a first linear array 16, wherein the first linear array
16 represents a first string 18 having a first frequency range 20.
The virtual fingerboard 14 also includes a second linear array 22,
wherein the second linear array 22 represents a second string 24
having a second frequency range 26. In addition, the second
frequency range 26 overlaps the first frequency range 20 associated
with a string.
The virtual fingerboard 14 further includes a plurality of note
positions 28, wherein each note position has a corresponding
fingerboard position on the input instrument. The first linear
array 16, the second linear array 22, and the plurality of note
positions 28 form a grid 30. The graphical user interface also
includes a second mode 32, wherein the first and second linear
arrays 16 and 22 are displayed such that portions of the first
linear array 16 and the second linear array 22 have overlapping
frequency ranges which are substantially vertically aligned. The
method also includes incorporating a music file 34 into the
graphical user interface, wherein the music file 34 contains data
corresponding to an arrangement of a plurality of musical notes 36
in sequence, having a rhythmic pattern 38, and represented by at
least one game object. The method further includes directing the
game object in substantially vertical and substantially straight
trajectory toward a note position 40 on the virtual fingerboard
corresponding to the musical notes. The method still further
includes adjusting a toggle module 42, wherein the toggle module 42
is configured to selectively toggle the second linear array 22
between able and disabled modes.
The toggle module 42 includes an auto module 44, wherein the auto
module 44 is configured to selectively toggle the second linear
array 22 to an auto mode. The toggle module 42 also includes a
manual module 46, wherein the manual module 46 is configured to
selectively toggle the second linear array 22 to a manual mode. The
toggle module 42 further includes a tempo module 48, wherein the
toggle module 42 is configured to adjust the tempo of the second
linear array 22. In addition, the toggle module 42 includes a
string select module 50, wherein the string select module 50 is
configured to select a string of the second linear array 22. By
selecting a string, a user may be able choose which strings will be
displayed on the graphical user interface. A user may concentrate
on a particular string or strings to focus on the graphical user
interface.
The game object also includes identifying marks, wherein the marks
are associated with a note position. The identifying marks include
grid notation associated with selecting a note position on a
particular linear array. The game objects are generated by a game
object generation module, wherein the object generation module
includes a object generation process 55. The process 55 includes
reading music data 60, and generating an initial permutation list
of degenerate note position possibilities for the note information
read from the music data 62. In addition, the process 55 includes
calculating the combinations 64 and generating an initial
combination for related notes from the music data 66. The process
55 further includes testing the elements of the initial combination
list for suitability 68 and selecting a combination from the
combination list. The step of testing the elements of the initial
combination list for suitability 68 includes calculating a maximum
fret distance between notes of a chord and comparing that maximum
fret distance against a pass/fail threshold 70. If the maximum fret
distance passes the threshold, then the element is included to a
second combination list 76, wherein the second combination is
included with the first combination list and then further tested.
The testing step also includes calculating a distance
characteristic of a plurality of combinations from the initial
combinations list 72.
The step of calculating a maximum fret distance 68 includes
determining a fret distance between a pair of note positions in a
chord combination, wherein a fret distance is the number of frets
plus one between the pair of note positions. The step 68 also
includes determining a string distance between the pair of note
positions, wherein the string distance is the number of strings
plus one between a pair of note positions. Then the fret distance
is multiplied by a first constant and then the string distance is
multiplied by a second string constant, and then calculating the
square root of the sum of the squares of the multiplied string and
fret distances. A preference for particular fret positions may be
controlled by altering one or more constants or performing a
variation on the method described above. For example, the first
constant and second constant need not be identical and the
square-root operation may include other operations before or after,
that may cause a non-linear variation in results from the method
described above.
The step of testing the elements of the initial combination list
for suitability is weighted according to a parameter configured to
influence combination selection. The parameters configured to
influence combination selection are selected from the group of
parameters including preferred strings, distance characteristic of
previous note group, distance characteristic of subsequent note
group, and preferred string combinations. The process 55 includes
selecting a combination with the best possible characteristics 74.
The game objects further includes a graphical representation
associated with the note position. The graphical representation
includes a fingerboard grid array. The fingerboard grid array
includes a string identifier and a fret identifier. The graphical
representation also includes a note name. Thereby displaying the
combination material as a guitar tab 78 and returns to reading the
music data.
In operation of one embodiment of the invention, a user may learn,
practice, and/or play an input instrument, such as but not limited
to, a guitar, violin, etc. while viewing the musical information
through a display module. A control module may function to adapt
and/or connect the input instrument to the musical information the
display module. In combination with the above, the system provides
an interactive instrument and display. The graphical interface may
mirror and/or be similar to the input instrument; thereby enabling
a user to view the graphic interface and learn correct note
positions, pitches, etc. on his or her input instrument.
It is understood that the above-described embodiments are only
illustrative of the application of the principles of the present
invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from its spirit or essential
characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in
all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of
the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims
rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be
embraced within their scope.
For example, although the figures indicate the note positions and
the fingerboard positions on the virtual fingerboard and the input
instrument, respectively, include color markings, it is
contemplated that the note positions and/or the fingerboard
positions may be coded in any manner contemplated in the art. Some
non-limiting examples of coding include: patterns, symbols, markers
recognizable via, touch and/or feel, and/or so forth.
Additionally, although the figures illustrate the rectangular shape
of the plurality of note positions on the virtual fingerboard and
the input instrument, it is understood the plurality of note
positions and fingerboard positions may be indicated and/or
comprised of any shape and/or form contemplated in the art. Some
non-limiting examples of note positions and fingerboard positions
include: square, elliptical, circular, and/or so forth.
In an alternative embodiment, the note positions and/or fingerboard
positions on the virtual fingerboard and input instrument,
respectively, may be coded via Braille and/or other such markings
which are recognizable via touch or feel. A non-limiting example of
such an embodiment may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,292 issued
to Nagase, which is incorporated by reference herein.
Again, although the figures illustrate a six stringed input
instrument and virtual fingerboard, it is envisioned that the input
instrument and virtual fingerboard may comprise any stringed
instrument contemplated in the art, such as but not limited to,
guitar, violins, cellos, sitars, etc.
It is also envisioned that the musical information and/or input
instrument may be adjusted and/or modified for users which use the
left and/or right hand and/or fingers for play on a fingerboard. In
a non-limiting example, the musical information may be adjusted for
a left handed user by placing the virtual fingerboard at the
substantial bottom extreme of the interface and subsequently
directing the game objects vertically downward.
While particular modes are described and illustrated to be
implemented in a particular order, it is envisioned that there are
one or more embodiments wherein such modes may be implemented in
any order, and/or in a different order, than that illustrated.
Further, modes may be implemented in an animated sequence, as a
screen refresh, or otherwise.
It is further envisioned that any of the above features, functions,
module, embodiments, etc. described herein may be incorporated
and/or embodied in a computer readable storage medium comprising
computer readable program code and configured to execute on a
processor.
It is expected that the invention may include numerous variations
of the designs and/or include a variety of aesthetic features, such
as but not limited to logos, icons, music and/or other symbols,
and/or so forth.
Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above
with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently
deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of the
invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the
art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to,
variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of
operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the
principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the
claims. Further, it is contemplated that an embodiment may be
limited to consist of, or to consist essentially of, one or more of
the features, functions, structures, methods described herein.
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